Towards effective and sustainable global academic partnerships through a maturity model informed by the capability approach.

BACKGROUND: Shortage of skilled workforce is a global concern but represents a critical bottleneck to Africa's development. While global academic partnerships have the potential to help tackle this development bottleneck, they are criticised for inadequate attention to equity, impact, and sustainability. We propose a new values-driven partnership model for sustainable and equitable global partnerships that achieve impact. METHOD: The model was based on the authors' experiences of participation in over 30 partnerships and used insights from the Capability Approach. RESULTS: We developed an Academic Partnership Maturity Model, with five levels of maturity, extending from pre-contemplative to mature partnerships. The level of maturity increases depending on the level of freedom, equity, diversity, and agency afforded to the partners. The approach offers a framework for establishing a forward-looking partnership anchored in mutual learning, empowerment, and autonomy. CONCLUSION: This is a pragmatic model limited by the biases of experiential knowledge. Further development of the concept, including metrics and an evaluation tool kit are needed to assist partners and funders.

A qualitative study on the implementation of a holistic care package for control and management of lymphoedema: experience from a pilot intervention in northern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) such as podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis (LF) and leprosy mainly affect communities in low resource settings. These diseases are associated with physical disability due to lymphoedema as well as poor mental health and psychosocial outcomes. Integration of care across these NTDs at primary health care level, which includes mental health and psychosocial care alongside physical health care, is increasingly recommended. METHODS: A holistic integrated care package was developed and piloted as part of the EnDPoINT project in Gusha district, Awi zone, Ethiopia. The intervention was conducted at the health care organization, health facility and community levels. To assess the impact of the care package in terms of acceptability, scalability, sustainability and barriers to implementation, a qualitative study was conducted in January 2020. This included four focus group discussions (29 participants) and ten key informant interviews with decision makers, health professionals, patients, and community representatives. RESULTS: The integrated lymphoedema care package was found to be efficient compared to vertical programs in saving time and resources. It also resulted in improved awareness of the causes, treatment and prevention of lymphoedema, in marked improvements in the lymphoedema, and in reduced stigma and discrimination. The care package was found to be acceptable to patients, health professionals and decision makers. The barriers to integrated care were unrealistic patient expectations, inadequate dissemination across health workers, and poor transportation access. Health professionals, decision makers and patients believed the integrated lymphoedema care package to be scalable and sustainable. CONCLUSION: The integrated holistic care package was found to be acceptable to patients, health professionals and decision makers. We recommend its scale-up to other endemic districts.

Modeling the patient and health system impacts of alternative xpert® MTB/RIF algorithms for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: To reduce global tuberculosis (TB) burden, the active disease must be diagnosed quickly and accurately and patients should be treated and cured. In Ethiopia, TB diagnosis mainly relies on spot-morning-spot (SMS) sputum sample smear analysis using Ziehl-Neelsen staining techniques (ZN). Since 2014 targeted use of xpert has been implemented. New diagnostic techniques have higher sensitivity and are likely to detect more cases if routinely implemented. The objective of our study was to project the effects of alternative diagnostic algorithms on the patient, health system, and costs, and identify cost-effective algorithms that increase TB case detection in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: An observational quantitative modeling framework was applied using the Virtual Implementation approach. The model was designed to represent the operational and epidemiological context of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. We compared eight diagnostic algorithm with ZN microscopy, light emitting diode (LED) fluorescence microscopy and Xpert MTB/RIF. Interventions with an annualized cost per averted disability adjusted life year (DALY) of less than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita are considered cost-effective interventions. RESULTS: With a cost lower than the average per-capita GDP (US$690 for Ethiopia) for each averted disability adjusted life year (DALY), three of the modeled algorithms are cost-effective. Implementing them would have important patient, health system, and population-level effects in the context of Addis Ababa ❖ The full roll-out of Xpert MTB/RIF as the primary test for all presumptive TB cases would avert 91170 DALYs (95% credible interval [CrI] 54888 - 127448) with an additional health system cost of US$ 11.6 million over the next 10 years. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) is $370 per DALY averted. ❖ Same day LED fluorescence microscopy for all presumptive TB cases combined with Xpert MTB/RIF targeted to HIV-positive and High multidrug resistant (MDR) risk groups would avert 73600 DALYs( 95% CrI 48373 - 99214) with an additional cost of US$5.1 million over the next 10 years. The ICER is $169per DALY averted. ❖ Same-day LED fluorescence microscopy for all presumptive TB cases (and no Xpert MTB/RIF) would avert 43580 DALYs with a reduction cost of US$ 0.2 million over the next 10years. The ICER is $13 per DALY averted. CONCLUSIONS: The full roll-out of Xpert MTB/RIF is predicted to be the best option to substantially reduce the TB burden in Addis Ababa and is considered cost effective. However, the investment cost to implement this is far beyond the budget of the national TB control program. Targeted use of Xpert MTB/RIF for HIV positive and high MDR risk groups with same-day LED fluorescence microscopy for all other presumptive TB cases is an affordable alternative.

Scabies in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study of prevalence, determinants, clinical presentation and community knowledge.

BACKGROUND: The WHO aims to prevent, eliminate or control neglected tropical diseases, including scabies, by 2030. However, limited epidemiological data presented a challenge to control efforts, especially in high burden countries. There was a major scabies outbreak in northern Ethiopia starting in 2015 and prevalence has since increased across much of the country. OBJECTIVE: To estimate scabies prevalence, identify its predictors, and assess community perception of, and knowledge about, the infestation. DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study. STUDY SETTING: Ayu Guagusa district, Amhara region, northern Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: 1437 people who were members of 381 randomly selected households participated in the study. Five trained mid-level health workers clinically diagnosed people with scabies. OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinically diagnosed scabies infestation. DATA ANALYSIS: Multi-level logistic regression models were fitted to adjust for individual and household-level confounding variables, and identify predictors of scabies infestation. RESULTS: Scabies prevalence was 13.4% (95% CI 11.8 to 15.5). Households of more than five people (adjusted OR (aOR)=3.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 10.2) were associated with increased odds of developing scabies, however, females had lower odds (aOR=0.5 95% CI 0.3 to 0.8). Scabietic lesions most frequently involved the trunk (62.0%), and vesicles were the most common types of lesions (67.7%). Two-thirds of adult study participants had heard about scabies and most obtained scabies related information from informal sources. Only 32% of cases sought care for scabies from any source. CONCLUSION: Scabies prevalence was high, signifying the need for community-based control interventions. Host density and sex were important predictors of scabies. Despite the favourable attitude toward the effectiveness of scabies treatment, healthcare seeking was low.

Molecular Epidemiology and Diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in Ethiopia, 2020-2022.

Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa and the sixth most affected by COVID-19 on the continent. Despite having experienced five infection waves, >499,000 cases, and ~7500 COVID-19-related deaths as of January 2023, there is still no detailed genomic epidemiological report on the introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Ethiopia. In this study, we reconstructed and elucidated the COVID-19 epidemic dynamics. Specifically, we investigated the introduction, local transmission, ongoing evolution, and spread of SARS-CoV-2 during the first four infection waves using 353 high-quality near-whole genomes sampled in Ethiopia. Our results show that whereas viral introductions seeded the first wave, subsequent waves were seeded by local transmission. The B.1.480 lineage emerged in the first wave and notably remained in circulation even after the emergence of the Alpha variant. The B.1.480 was outcompeted by the Delta variant. Notably, Ethiopia's lack of local sequencing capacity was further limited by sporadic, uneven, and insufficient sampling that limited the incorporation of genomic epidemiology in the epidemic public health response in Ethiopia. These results highlight Ethiopia's role in SARS-CoV-2 dissemination and the urgent need for balanced, near-real-time genomic sequencing.

Evaluating diagnostic accuracies of Panbio™ test and RT-PCR for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia using Bayesian Latent-Class Models (BLCM).

BACKGROUND: Rapid diagnostics are vital for curving the transmission and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many commercially available antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 are recommended by the WHO, their diagnostic performance has not yet been assessed in Ethiopia. So far, the vast majority of studies assessing diagnostic accuracies of rapid antigen tests considered RT-PCR as a reference standard, which inevitably leads to bias when RT-PCR is not 100% sensitive and specific. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of Panbio™ jointly with the RT-PCR for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study was done from July to September 2021 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the third wave of the pandemic involving two health centers and two hospitals. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of Panbio™ and RT-PCR were obtained using Bayesian Latent-Class Models (BLCM). RESULTS: 438 COVID-19 presumptive clients were enrolled, 239 (54.6%) were females, of whom 196 (44.7%) had a positive RT-PCR and 158 (36.1%) were Panbio™ positive. The Panbio™ and RT-PCR had a sensitivity (95% CrI) of 99.6 (98.4-100) %, 89.3 (83.2-97.6) % and specificity (95% CrI) of 93.4 (82.3-100) %, and 99.1 (97.5-100) %, respectively. Most of the study participants, 318 (72.6%) exhibited COVID-19 symptoms; the most reported was cough 191 (43.6%). CONCLUSION: As expected the RT-PCR performed very well with a near-perfect specificity and a high, but not perfect sensitivity. The diagnostic performance of Panbio™ is coherent with the WHO established criteria of having a sensitivity ≥80% for Ag-RDTs. Both tests displayed high diagnostic accuracies in patients with and without symptoms. Hence, we recommend the use of the Panbio™ for both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in clinical settings for screening purposes.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health professionals towards people living with lymphoedema caused by lymphatic filariasis, podoconiosis and leprosy in northern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy are highly stigmatised neglected tropical diseases that cause lymphoedema. Their enormous impacts on health-related quality of life, mental health and economic productivity can be significantly reduced by morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) services, but to deliver such services requires appropriate training of healthcare professionals. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of rural Ethiopian healthcare professionals towards people with lymphoedema as a way to assess training needs. METHODS: This study used questionnaires to quantitatively assess KAP towards people with lymphoedema among rural healthcare professionals in northwest Ethiopia before and 12 months after a short training intervention. RESULTS: Questionnaires were administered to 14 health professionals at baseline and 21 at follow-up. At baseline, 71% (10/14) were found to hold at least one stigmatising attitude towards lymphoedema patients, compared with 66% (14/21) at follow-up. Large gaps in knowledge were noted, with many unable to identify ways of treating/preventing the diseases. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed high proportions of healthcare workers holding stigmatising views and lacking essential knowledge about lymphoedema. To maximise the impact of MMDP interventions, further research is urgently needed to understand how to address these issues.

Stakeholder perspectives on an integrated package of care for lower limb disorders caused by podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis or leprosy: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Lower limb disorders including lymphoedema create a huge burden for affected persons in their physical and mental health, as well as socioeconomic and psychosocial consequences for them, their families and communities. As routine health services for the integrated management and prevention of lower limb disorders are still lacking, the 'Excellence in Disability Prevention Integrated across Neglected Tropical Diseases' (EnDPoINT) study was implemented to assess the development and delivery of an integrated package of holistic care-including physical health, mental health and psychosocial care-within routine health services for persons with lower limb disorders caused by podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This study was part of the first of three phases within EnDPoINT, involving the development of the integrated care package. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were undertaken with 34 participants between January-February 2019 in Awi zone, Ethiopia, in order to assess the draft care package's feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness. Persons affected by lower limb disorders such as lymphoedema experience stigma, exclusion from families, communities and work as well as physical and financial hardship. Beliefs in disease causation inhibit affected persons from accessing care. Ignorance was a barrier for health care providers as well as affected persons. Training and education of affected persons, communities and caregivers is important in improving care access. It also requires time, space, materials and financial resources. Both top-down and grass roots input into service development are key, as well as collaboration across stakeholders including charities, community leaders and "expert patients". CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study highlighted the need for the EnDPoINT integrated care package and provided suggestions for solutions according to its three aspects of integrated care (integration into routine care; integration of mental health and psychosocial care; and integration of care across the three diseases), thereby giving support for its feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness.

Diagnostic accuracy of three commercially available one step RT-PCR assays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in resource limited settings.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is an ongoing public health pandemic regardless of the countless efforts made by various actors. Quality diagnostic tests are important for early detection and control. Notably, several commercially available one step RT-PCR based assays have been recommended by the WHO. Yet, their analytic and diagnostic performances have not been well documented in resource-limited settings. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivities and specificities of three commercially available one step reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays in Ethiopia in clinical setting. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June, 2021 on 279 respiratory swabs originating from community surveillance, contact cases and suspect cases. RNA was extracted using manual extraction method. Master-mix preparation, amplification and result interpretation was done as per the respective manufacturer. Agreements between RT-PCRs were analyzed using kappa values. Bayesian latent class models (BLCM) were fitted to obtain reliable estimates of diagnostic sensitivities, specificities of the three assays and prevalence in the absence of a true gold standard. RESULTS: Among the 279 respiratory samples, 50(18%), 59(21.2%), and 69(24.7%) were tested positive by TIB, Da An, and BGI assays, respectively. Moderate to substantial level of agreement was reported among the three assays with kappa value between 0 .55 and 0.72. Based on the BLCM relatively high specificities (95% CI) of 0.991(0.973-1.000), 0.961(0.930-0.991) and 0.916(0.875-0.952) and considerably lower sensitivities with 0.813(0.658-0.938), 0.836(0.712-0.940) and 0.810(0.687-0.920) for TIB MOLBIOL, Da An and BGI respectively were found. CONCLUSIONS: While all the three RT-PCR assays displayed comparable sensitivities, the specificities of TIB MOLBIOL and Da An were considerably higher than BGI. These results help adjust the apparent prevalence determined by the three RT-PCRs and thus support public health decisions in resource limited settings and consider alternatives as per their prioritization matrix.

Development of an integrated, holistic care package for people with lymphoedema for use at the level of the Primary Health Care Unit in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a group of several communicable and non-communicable diseases prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. The co-endemicity of these diseases, the similarity of their clinical signs, and the need to maximize limited financial and human resources suggest the importance of adoptingan integratedapproach to their prevention and treatment. AIMS: This study describes the development of a comprehensive package of physical, mental health and psychosocial care for people with lower-limb lymphoedema caused bypodoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis (LF)or leprosy as part of the EnDPoINT program in Ethiopia. METHOD: The care package was developed using a mixed-methods approach, consisting of a literature review, situational analysis, Theory of Change (ToC) workshops, qualitative research, and additional workshops to fine-tune the draft care package. The care package was developed between March 2018 and January 2020 in Addis Ababa and the implementation research site, Awi zone in the North-West of Ethiopia. RESULTS: The holistic care package includes components implemented at three levels of the health care system:health organization, facility, and community. Sections of the care package are directed at strengthening capacity building, program management, community engagement, awareness-raising, stigma-reduction, morbidity management, disability prevention, follow-up visits, referral linkage, community-based rehabilitation, and monitoring and evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: The study developed a holistic integrated care package for lower limb disorder and co-morbid mental health problems caused by podoconiosis, LF or leprosy. The approach has the potential to significantly reduce lower limb disorder-associated morbidity, disability, and psychosocial problems. It also standardizes a scalable approach appropriate for the Ethiopian setting and, most likely, other countries where these NTDs are present.

The impact of podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis, and leprosy on disability and mental well-being: A systematic review.

Leprosy, podoconiosis, and lymphatic filariasis (LF) are among the priority neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Ethiopia. The disability, psychosocial, and mental health status of people affected by these NTDs are still overlooked in global NTD discourse. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the existing evidence describing the disability, psychosocial, and mental health status of people affected by leprosy, podoconiosis, and LF prior to developing a holistic physical and psychosocial care package for these individuals. We searched papers reporting on disability, psychosocial, and mental health status linked to these 3 NTDs. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO with registration number CRD42019128400. Peer-reviewed articles were searched and extracted from Medline, PsycINFO, Global Health, and Embase. Articles published in English, irrespective of the year of publication, using a quantitative study methodology, were included. Abstracts and full texts were reviewed by 2 reviewers. Data were extracted and narratively summarized, as the studies were heterogeneous and used different outcome measures. Out of 1,318 titles/abstracts screened and 59 full text studies reviewed, 24 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Fourteen studies provided evidence of the disability associated with leprosy, podoconiosis, or LF. Ten studies provided evidence on the association between the 3 NTDs and mental health or psychosocial outcomes. The prevalence of grade 2 disability varied from 3.9% to 86%. The most commonly reported mental health impacts were depression and mental distress. A high burden of mental illness was reported, varying from 12.6% to 71.7%; the suicidal ideation was also high (18.5%). In conclusion, disability and poor psychosocial and mental health status are associated with leprosy, podoconiosis, and LF. For optimum management of these NTDs, holistic care including both physical and psychosocial interventions is vital.

Safety and efficacy of high-dose rifampicin in the management of tuberculosis meningitis: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) practically affects any part of the body, but when the brain is involved, the consequences are devastating. Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of drug-susceptible TB, with an estimation of more than 100,000 new cases occurring every year and a high mortality rate globally. The treatment strategy is based on pulmonary TB (PTB) management regimens which consider rifampicin as the backbone. Optimal treatment regimens for PTB may not be the most effective option for TBM due to difference in TB drug penetration across the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, hence the need for other treatment options. This study aims to review the efficacy and safety of higher doses of rifampicin (>10 mg/kg) compared to 10 mg/kg rifampicin as part of standard therapy for the treatment of TBM. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of high-dose rifampicin for TBM. A search was done on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane library databases without publication date limit to identify studies providing data on the use of high-dose rifampicin for the treatment of TBM. Titles and abstracts were screened for relevance by three reviewers. Two reviewers used a predefined checklist on the inclusion criteria to assess full text for their eligibility in the review. A heterogeneity test was conducted to assess the variations among study outcomes. The risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated as a measure of intervention effect. The study is registered on PROSPERO and the registration number is CRD42020212737. Results: Five Phase 2 trials with a total of 1028 participants were included in this meta-analysis. All the five trials were used to analyze safety data, which found that there was no significant increase in the risk of Grade 3-5 adverse events in high-dose rifampicin (RR = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.95-1.18). Only four of them were included for the analysis of efficacy. The findings indicated that exposure to high-dose rifampicin is not associated with a reduced risk of mortality (RR = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.78-1.16). Conclusions: It can be concluded from this meta-analysis that there is no significant relation of high-dose rifampicin with adverse events and the reduction of mortality in TBM patients. Whether in future optimized TBM treatment regimen will include high-dose rifampicin or not should be determined by a large-scale clinical trial.

Diagnostic Performance of SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG Rapid Test Kits for the Detection of the Novel Coronavirus in Ethiopia.

PURPOSE: Rapid severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test kits are crucial for bridging diagnostic gaps in health facilities and community screening mainly in resource limited settings. However, there is no objective evidence on their diagnostic performance. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate comparative diagnostic performance of three selected SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM rapid test kits in Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 clients between May and July 2020 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The performance of three SARS-CoV-2 rapid test kits EGENE, CTK BIOTECKs Onsite, and ACON Biotech were evaluated using blood specimens against RT-PCR on respiratory swabs. Sensitivity, specificity, and agreement with each other and to RT-PCR were computed using Vassarstats, MedCalc and SPSS version 23 statistical software. RESULTS: Test kits showed a heterogeneous comparative diagnostic performance in their sensitivity and specificity. The sensitivity was 61.18% (95% CI: 49.96-71.37%), 74.12% (95% CI: 63.28-82.74%) and 83.53% (95% CI: 73.57-90.38%) for kit A, B and C, respectively. Similarly, the specificity was 96.52% (90.81-98.88%), 94.78% (88.52-97.86%) and 94.78% (88.52-97.86%) for test kit A, B and C, respectively. The test kits have an agreement with RT-PCR with kappa value of 0.60 (0.48-0.83), 0.71 (0.65-0.93), and 0.80 (0.76-1.04) for A, B, and C, respectively. There was a significant difference on diagnostic performance among the three test kits and PCR with a p-value < 0.001 Cochran's Q test. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic performance of the test kits was promising and recommended for COVID-19 diagnostics in combination with RT-PCR to detect more infected patients. It allows determining the seroprevalence of the virus and true extent of SARS-COV-2 community spread in resource limited settings. We underline countries to evaluate rapid diagnostic test kits before diagnostic use.

A cross-sectional study to evaluate depression and quality of life among patients with lymphoedema due to podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy.

BACKGROUND: Podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis (LF) and leprosy are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that cause lymphoedema. When left untreated, they lead to substantial disability. This study determined the quality of life (QOL) and depression associated with lymphoedema in patients with podoconiosis, LF and leprosy. The study was conducted in northwestern Ethiopia. METHODS: This baseline cross-sectional study, nested within an interventional, non-comparative, longitudinal study, included patients with lymphoedema. Depression and QOL were assessed using versions of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and Dermatologic Life Quality Index (DLQI), respectively, that had been translated into Amharic and validated. Factors associated with depression and QOL were assessed using multivariate linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 251 patients with lymphoedema included in the study, 119 (47.4%) had moderate to severe depression and overall QOL was poor (mean±standard deviation [SD] DLQI score: 11.4±4.2). Disability was significantly associated with depression (ß=0.26 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.19 to 0.33]). Currently receiving treatment (ß=-3.05 [95% CI -5.25 to -0.85), disability (ß=-0.08 [95% CI -0.15 to -0.01]) and social support (moderate support: ß=-2.27 [95% CI -3.66 to -0.89] and strong support: ß=-2.87 [95% CI -5.35 to -0.38]) were significantly associated with better QOL. CONCLUSION: High levels of depression and low QOL were found among patients with lymphoedema due the three NTDs in Ethiopia.

Economic assessment of a community-based care package for people with lower limb disorder caused by lymphatic filariasis, podoconiosis and leprosy in Ethiopia.

We conducted an implementation research study to integrate a holistic package of physical health, mental health and psychosocial care for podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy into routine healthcare in Gusha cluster, Guagusa Shikudad district, northwest Ethiopia. The healthcare package included training patients in lower limb hygiene and skin care and provision of shoes, hygiene supplies and medication. The implementation activities included training events, workshops, awareness raising, self-help groups, supportive supervision, staff secondments and advisory board meetings. The cost of implementing the care package in Gusha cluster, with a population of 30 558 people, was 802 655 Ethiopian birr (ETB) (£48 159) and the cost of delivering care to 235 participants was 204 388 ETB (£12 263), or 870 ETB (£52) per person. There was a 35% decrease in the mean disability scores (measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0) and a 45% improvement in the dermatology-specific quality of life (measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index) at the 3-month follow-up compared with baseline. There were reductions in the number of days with symptoms, days off usual activities/work and days with reduced activity due to illness, all of which were statistically significant. Our pilot suggests that integration of the care package into routine healthcare in Ethiopia may be effective in improving health-related quality of life and disability and reducing time out of economic activity due to illness.

EnDPoINT: protocol for an implementation research study to integrate a holistic package of physical health, mental health and psychosocial care for podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy into routine health services in Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) causing lower limb lymphoedema such as podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis (LF) and leprosy are common in Ethiopia. Routine health services for morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) of lymphoedema caused by these conditions are still lacking, even though it imposes a huge burden on affected individuals and their communities in terms of physical and mental health, and psychosocial and economic outcomes. This calls for an integrated, holistic approach to MMDP across these three diseases. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The 'Excellence in Disability Prevention Integrated across NTDs' (EnDPoINT) implementation research study aims to assess the integration and scale-up of a holistic package of care-including physical health, mental health and psychosocial care-into routine health services for people with lymphoedema caused by podoconiosis, LF and leprosy in selected districts in Awi zone in the North-West of Ethiopia. The study is being carried out over three phases using a wide range of mixed methodologies. Phase 1 involves the development of a comprehensive holistic care package and strategies for its integration into the routine health services across the three diseases, and to examine the factors that influence integration and the roles of key health system actors. Phase 2 involves a pilot study conducted in one subdistrict in Awi zone, to establish the care package's adoption, feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, potential effectiveness, its readiness for scale-up, costs of the interventions and the suitability of the training and training materials. Phase 3 involves scale-up of the care package in three whole districts, as well as its evaluation in regard to coverage, implementation, clinical (physical health, mental health and psychosocial) and economic outcomes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval for the study has been obtained in the UK and Ethiopia. The results will be disseminated through publications in scientific journals, conference presentations, policy briefs and workshops.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Blended Learning Course on Tuberculosis for Front-Line Health Care Professionals.

OBJECTIVES: To implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a 10-module blended learning course on tuberculosis diagnosis for Ethiopian health care professionals. METHODS: This implementation science research was conducted within the routine in-service training for health care professionals in Ethiopia. A combined web-based and face-to-face acid-fast bacilli microscopy course was designed and its applicability studied after 6 weeks of enrollment of 108 medical laboratory professionals. A survey was conducted to capture participants' feedback on the course. RESULTS: Of 108 participants enrolled, 81 attended and 73 (90%) completed the course; 72 (94%) had no experience taking online courses. Mean percentages of quizzes, assignments/exercises, and hands-on scores were 88%, 70%, and 95%, respectively. No significant differences were found in scores between participants from public, private, and nongovernmental health facilities ( P = .386) or between higher and lower level facilities ( P = .533). Participants' overall satisfaction with the course was 88%. CONCLUSIONS: Blended learning was an effective pedagogic approach for this category of professionals because of the crucial need for hands-on training for practicing and translating knowledge into skills. This approach also had the advantages of keeping the costs of the entire course low and reaching a greater number of participants, all without significant disruption of work schedules.